Korthalsella japonica
Content
Description
Plants 4-10(-20) cm long, relatively slender, much-branched, variable in appearance, sometimes with all branches similar to the main stems and sometimes with flowering branches distinctly narrower than the main vegetative ones although not strongly differentiated into abruptly distinct vegetative and flowering axes.
Hairs of the floral cushion few or absent, developed from very small bracts, scarcely protruding, reddish.
Rudimentary leaves together encircling the node, 0.2-0.5 mm high, usually thin, truncate.
Flowers in 1 or 2 rows, c. 8 per cluster, the opposite clusters meeting and encircling the stem;
Distribution
Asia-Tropical: Jawa (Jawa present); Malaya (Peninsular Malaysia present); Philippines (Philippines present); Sumatera (Sumatera present), Japan southwards to Australia, westwards to India and Indian Ocean islands, and possibly eastwards to Pacific islands present
Japan southwards to Australia, westwards to India and Indian Ocean islands, and possibly eastwards to Pacific islands; recorded sporadically, possibly more widespread and continuous but overlooked owing to the small size of the plants; in Malesia: Sumatra, Peninsular Malaysia, Java, Philippines.
Notes
For distinction as a species, see .
In some specimens, especially from Sumatra, internodes of the flowering stems are short (1.5-2 mm long) and slightly compressed or almost terete, thus showing a gradation into spicate flowering axes, but not the abrupt transition present in K. geminata and K. papuana.